PROVO — As Ursula the sea witch, 15-year-old Hailey Bennett sings about misfortune.
In real life, the teen was feeling pretty unfortunate as well.
"It was so bad," she said. "I had to plan what I was wearing with it. It was always on my mind. Being subconscious about it made it even worse."
Hailey suffered from hyperhidrosis, a condition that affects 1 percent of the population and causes excessive sweating. Her palms perspired so badly that pools of moisture formed. The problem got worse — and more embarrassing — as she got older.
"Oh, man. That's one of the big reasons we did it, because boys are 'a thing,'" Hailey said with a laugh.
Dating is right around the corner, but she dreaded even the thought of it.
"I'm like, 'I'm never going to prom. I'm never going to any of the school dances because that's so embarrassing," Hailey said.
And she was worried that no boys would ask her out "because after the first one, they'll tell everyone, "It was so gross.'"
That's when Hailey and her parents decided they needed medical help and found the right doctor for the job.
"He shook my hand and another one of our kids' hands, and he shook Hailey's hand and he said, 'I've found our patient,'" said Jeanette Bennett, Hailey's mom.
Dr. John Mitchell, a cardiac surgeon at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, did Hailey's outpatient surgery. The procedure took about 45 minutes.
"When I met Hailey, her hands were soaking wet. Classic finding of hyperhidrosis," Mitchell said. "The nerve is called the sympathetic chain that begins at the base of the skull, and it extends through both chest cavities into the abdomen."
By cutting a portion of the nerve from each side of Hailey's chest, her hands are now dry.
Before, Hailey would be nervous backstage, worried about her sweaty palms. But now, she can perform comfortably.
"You poor unfortunate souls!" she belted out at the top of her lungs in the center of the black box theater, in full costume, including tentacles.
A poor unfortunate side effect of the surgery is excessive sweating on the chest. But Hailey said that hasn't been a problem. In fact, she said she's feeling pretty fortunate.
"Oh, I'm going to prom," Hailey said. "I'm going to all the dances now. Watch out. I'm coming."
Email: hsimonsen@deseretnews.com